A Knead to Know Basis
by WRitesALOt
Summary: Rated M for lemons and language, meet Katniss and Peeta. What happens when guards are let down, people are hit in the head with soccer balls, there are lots of drunk confessions, and mishaps with virginity and flour? And those things are just the beginning! You'll have to read to find out. It's all on a Knead to Know Basis
1. Chapter 1

**Katniss POV**

Peeta Mellark. That was his name. I always thought the way he smelled was odd. Don't mistake me. It's not like he stunk or anything. Quite the opposite actually. He was the son of a baker. Hell, at this point he practically owned the family bakery. Peeta always smelled like an uneven combination of sugar and flour; almost like a cake batter that had yet to be properly mixed. Contemplating the way he smelled was not unusual for me. It was typically the most exciting thing to do in my Feminism in Literature course. I was being tortured enough. Surely I could stand to look at a gorgeous guy with blue eyes and blonde curls. I viewed it as my reward for being there. Most people asked me why I was even taking this class in the first place. My reply was simple: my best friend Rue was making me do it, and I owed her big time because of the last couple of times she cleaned my puke off of our hardwood floors (a story I will get to at another time). Thanks to an evil professor, and perhaps the worst luck in the world, she ended up at the back of the class and I ended at the front, making the bright spot of my day the only male in the room.

I'd never even spoken to him before and I was quite plain. I usually wore my dark hair in a single braid. I was fond of boots because I liked the outdoors. Hell, according to my sister Prim, the only time people noticed I was a girl was when I was in class, absent bow and arrow. I know what you're probably thinking. A girl with a bow and arrow in 2012? Cut me some slack here people. Most of the mainstream stuff that happens during this time period doesn't amuse me. In my mind, nothing beats the clarity of the woods. Nothing beats the satisfaction I feel when I let an arrow loose and hit my target on the first try. Besides. The only person who knows about my hunting habit is my friend Gale. He'll never tell anyone that or share the fact that he calls me Catnip on a regular basis either.

During today's lecture I see Peeta begin to write something down and I panic,thinking I've missed something important. For the life of me, I can't understand why the dragon lady refuses to put her lectures online, but whatever. All of a sudden, I see a scrap of paper being pushed my way, and as is typical of Katniss, I begin to freak out.

**Peeta POV**

I didn't know much about the girl who was sitting next to me. My buddy Finnick said her name was Katniss. Katniss Everdeen. It didn't really matter to me what her name was because she was hot. Ok. Let me be honest. Of course I knew her name. Every guy on the soccer team has the mental image of her, in a bikini, being a lifeguard during the free swim hours of the college pool in their spank bank. She was skinny, but not in that off-putting way most of the women here were. She had grace to her. She had muscle, but not enough to be intimidating. As far as I knew the only people she really talked to were a girl named Rue and Gale Hawthorne. SInce freshmen year, Gale Hawthorne had been the bane of my existence. He had this nasty habit of trying to show me up on the soccer field, and then, when I would react and shut him down. I'd be the one who came out looking like a total jerk off.

I saw Feminism in Literature as my opportunity to get to know Everdeen; to finally communicate the crush I'd had on her since we started at this ridiculous college and I started taking this ridiculous course. I slipped her a note that I hoped would turn into more. The look on her face and the blush that ensued was a total reward for me.

_If you had to choose, would you be in this lecture, or repeatedly sticking your hand in a fully loaded mouse trap?_

I watched her remove a pen from her bag. Could it be more obvious that she wasn't interested in this class. I mean, I never took notes because of my eidetic and photographic but I at least took the pen and paper out of my bag to keep up appearances.

_As long as the mouse trap doesn't scream about how all men are evil, I think that would be my best bet._

I tried to hide my excitement at the fact that she'd replied to me. I decided to push the envelope this time around.

_Little Italy, that pizza joint in the town square, is pretty quiet. No male-bashing feminists there. Care to ditch tomorrow's lecture and grab a few slices with me? My treat._

**I tried my best to focus back on the lecture and hoped she wouldn't tell me no.**

_**I try not to miss lectures, bread boy, no matter how boring they are. Maybe some other time.**_

**It wasn't a definite no. It wasn't a yes either. We briefly made eye contact to let her know I understood. She probably thought that put the matter to rest. Katniss Everdeen would know me well enough soon. My nod was in understanding that we wouldn't be going out tomorrow. I had no plans on giving up on her. I could already tell I liked this girl. I wanted her to be around for awhile and the sooner she went on a date with me, the sooner I could try and make that happened. Before I could realize what was happening, the professor was wrapping up and Katniss was out the door. I couldn't help but smile. In her seat, I saw a picture of her smiling back at me. She had managed to leave her drivers license, giving me another opportunity to ask her out.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok Everyone. The response I've been getting for AKTKB has been incredible. I know this chapter is really short, but in honor of their reviews, I wan to give my small, but glorious fanbase a little teaser. I promise a much longer, much more impressive chapter by Wednesday. Enjoy!**

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**Katniss POV**

"No Rue. I have no idea who's knocking on the I know, I'll be sure to give you a full report."

I opened the door, fully expecting to see Gale in all of his annoying glory and I wasn't disappointed when it wasn't him. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Peeta Mellark was standing there. He had something I couldn't really see in his hands, but that was something I would ask him about later. I couldn't comprehend why he was standing here.

"You left this.. today. I would've just slipped this in the mailbox, but I kind of wanted to use this as an opportunity to talk to you. You can snatch the ID from me and close the door in my face at any point in time really because this is kind of pathetic but I was wondering if yo-"

"Thanks for bringing me my drivers license. Would you like to come in?"

He just nodded his head. For the life of me, I couldn't understand why he was nervous. He was a soccer stud. He was the hot one in this situation. There was no reason for him to be nervous.

"Rue, it's Peeta Mellark, the guy from our Feminism in Lit class."

He followed me into the living room but neglected to sit.

"You can sit on the couch if you want."

He shook his head.

"Katniss, I know you said no to pizza but I want you to know, I'm determined to get you to go out with me. You don't have to kiss me or anything, but if you went out with me it would be really great because I could show you how nice of a guy I am and the crush I've had on you-"

"Peeta, one, slow down. Apparently the more nervous you are, the more you babble. It's actually really unbecoming. Two, you're a really nice guy but I don't date. I think you should go."

That probably came out a bit harsher than I intended it, but he needed to know. The last guy I dated had turned me off of dating and I could tell Peeta was an optimist. I didn't want to alienate him, but I needed to make it clear that this wasn't going anywhere.

**Peeta POV**

I knew she was going to tell me know the minute she saw me outside of her door. There was more than surprise in the look she gave me. I had already prepared for the fact that I was going to walk out of here dateless. I took another route.

"It's fine. I didn't think you'd go out with me. Soccer guys don't really seem like your type. So, as a sort of compromise, how about we take a trip to the bakery. I have this cupcake recipe I've been wanting to try and you'd be there strictly in a friend capacity-"

"Katniss, go with the boy. You know you love cupcakes just as much as the next girl."

That must have been her roommate. I didn't know much about her, but when she appeared, she was a short girl whose hair was full of natural curls. She appeared to be soft spoken, something I thought would be a handicap when dealing with Katniss. I watched as Katniss gritted her teeth and went to a hall closet.

"I'll go with you Mellark, but any funny business and you have to bring me home immediately."

I nodded my head in assent. When we got outside to my car I opened her door before climbing into the drivers seat. She looked as if she was going to say something but thought better of it and bit her lips. I could feel the tent rising in my pants. I knew she really had no idea how stunning she really was. If I could get her to fall for me, I would make sure I spent as much time as possible showing her differently.

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**So there you have it. R,R&R (read, review and rec). Your reviews give me life and thanks so much for the support. Until Wednesday,**

**V**


	3. Chapter 3

Ok folks. I know I'm a few days behind, but here's a new chapter of AKTKB. I thank all of you for your reviews and hope to continue to receive them in the future. This story is rated M for mature audiences and throughout you'll understand why. Enjoy!

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**KPOV**

Nothing could have prepared me for the site of the bakery. The paint looked to have been carefully thought out by someone who was willing to pay lots of money to make sure it looked nice, but anyone who looked at it could tell that the color scheme was not picked by a woman. There were golds and bronzes and out of nowhere, there was this blue border. The blue wasn't gaudy but it was unexpected. No woman would have deviated from the color scheme like this.

"Who did the paint?"

I watched as he gave me a small smile as he pulled into the parking lot. When he stopped the car, he unbuckled his seatbelt and immediately ran to the other side to open my door. Had he not ran, he would have missed his opportunity. I wasn't in the habit of allowing people to open my doors, you know, modern feminism and all that crap. He looked rather pleased with himself because of his accomplishment and I didn't have the heart to say anything about it. In fact, his smile was infectious and I found my own difficult to contain. As chivalry dictated, he beat me to the door too, opening it for me and gesturing inside. There was a man behind the counter who looked so much like an older version of Peers, I had to bite my tongue. I assumed the man was an older brother.

"Katniss, this is my Dad. Dad, I'm gonna take Katniss in the back and show her that cupcake recipe."

A knowing smile passed between the two of them as I followed Peeta to the back. As we moved through the bakery, I began to notice just how quiet Peeta really was. He carried his intensity in his eyes, not in his words. As we entered the kitchen I watched as he pulled out a stool for me to sit and began to gather the ingredients to make the cupcake batter. One would think that sitting and watching someone work would be boring, but for some reason, I was captivated. I watched as his muscled arms lifted a heavy sack of flour one moment, and gently cut a small slit in it to remove the exact amount for the batter. I watched him add eggs and vanilla extract, all the while whistling and stopping to wink at me every now and then.

"Katniss? Earth to Katniss. Did you wanna mix the ingredients?"

I had zoned out watching him. It should've been a crime for someone to be this attractive, masculine and versatile. I realized by looking at his patient smile that he was still waiting on an answer.

**PPOV**

I hoped she said yes. I prayed she said yes. My next moves were all dependent upon Katniss Everdeen saying yes.

"Sure. You'll have to show me, I don't really do thing in the kitchen. The extent of my knowledge is a grilled cheese."

She. Said. Yes. And her adding that she needed a quick tutorial was perfect.

"No problem. I've been working in the bakery since I've been big enough to pick up a sack of flour. First things first, I should probably get you an apron. The flour can sometimes go everywhere and we shouldn't let it get all over you. You look to nice today for that."

I watched her blush and duck her head down. As she stepped away from the mixing bowl, she swept her long hair up into a braid that she draped over her shoulder. As I walked up to her, apron in hand, I allowed her to slip the top over her head while I tied it around back and pulled the braid back with it. I could see the protest of me touching her hair but I quickly cut her off.

"We wouldn't want your hair ruining a batch of cupcakes, no matter how beautiful it is."

Her answering blush and nod was enough for me to move forward with todays mixing lesson.

"For right now, just focus on getting everything evenly mixed while not letting anything spill out of the bowl."

Two hours later, we had a perfect batch of cupcakes. I knew they were perfect because Katniss had helped me make them, but more important than that I could tell she was having a good time despite the fact that she was determined to make this anything but a date. I watched as she picked up a freshly cooled and frosted and took the biggest, unladylike bite I had ever seen in my life. It. Was. AWESOME. I liked girls who knew how to eat. There were way too many skinny girls who found solace in lettuce at our college. Suddenly, Katniss' appetite reminded me of her polar opposite: Delly. Delly. I wished I could forget her, and as Katniss moaned around her cupcake forgetting Delly was becoming easier and easier.

"Now I understand why your girlfriend likes to come here so much. This cupcake is like heaven. Heaven with Primroses decorating the top."

"I don't have a girlfriend Katniss."

Maybe that was the reason she was refusing to date me. She thought I had a girlfriend.

"So who is that blond chick I always saw you with?"

"Her name was, is, Delly. She and I used to date. Now, we do our best to refrain from speaking."

"And why is that?"

She took another bite of the cupcake. I wished she would focus on that.

"Why is Gale Hawthorne glued to your hip in every class but one?"

"You answer my question and I'll consider answering yours."

She was trying to intimidate me and I knew I had to hold my ground on this one.

"Her and I had more rough patches than good ones. She's made it clear she doesn't want to be with me."

"What's the matter Peeta? What happened? Did you not win enough games for her? Couldn't get it up in the sack? What happened to make Delly leave perfect Peeta?"

"Katniss that's enough."

**KPOV**

I was surprised, and not because he had raised his voice. In fact, he hadn't. It was the sheer calm behind the force in his voice that stopped me.

"I think this was a mistake Katniss. I'll wrap these cupcakes up and grab them so that I can take you home."

"Peeta..."

**"****Don't worry about it Katniss. But for the record, the person who couldn't get it up was Delly, not me. She left me because her having something to get up in the first place was a problem for me."**

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dunh, Dunh, DUNH! There you have it people! I will try and develop a weekly update schedule for everyone, although I must say that the more reviews I receive, the more eager I am to write and post. I look forward to your feedback about this chapter and the ones that have already been posted. Until next time,

-V


	4. Chapter 4

Ok folks. Here's another chapter of AKTKB. Hopefully you enjoy it!

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**KPOV**

Two weeks later and I still couldn't stop thinking about the argument I had with Peeta. I knew I had pushed too hard. There wasn't a doubt in my mind about that. What I was trying to figure out was why he'd essentially apologized to me. Peeta was way too fundamentally nice for his own good. He hadn't been in class this past week and I was starting to wonder why until I literally ran into him on a Monday.

"Peeta! I hadn't expected to see you here. I thought you dropped the course..."

"I just needed some time, and since there's no attendance policy for this course, I just figured I would take the time off."

"Won't you be a little behind? I could give you my notes to help you catch up if you want."

"No offense Katniss, but I've seen your notes. Besides helping me realize what today's date is, they don't really help with anything. I should be good. You know; photographic memory and all."

I watched him breathe in deeply and give a nervous laugh.

"Peeta, I'm sorry for last week. I didn't think pushing the Delly issue with you was going to be such a huge deal I probably would have kept my mouth shut. Putting my foot in my mouth tends to be one of the things I know how to do best. It's what Gale calls a Katniss Everdeen special..."

**PPOV**

I listened as she trailed off. I knew she should be apologizing. Nobody had pushed me that way about Delly since my Mom. Something about her being sorry about something didn't sound right falling from her lips. Her embarrassed, at least over something like this, didn't really feel right to me.

"Katniss, don't apologize. You were a jerk about it, yeah sure, but stop feeling bad about it. You couldn't have known. I haven't forgotten though. What's the story with you and Hawthorne."

"He's on the soccer team with you. Surely you know something about him."

I raised an eyebrow at her. I was almost positive my usually bright blue eyes were a darker shade of blue. Her avoiding talking about Hawthorne was really starting to grind my gears. Regardless, the look on my face must have been more severe than I originally thought.

"We're friends. Best friends, but only that. He and I could never be anything more."

"Why? Because you don't date?"

"No. Because he's like a brother to me. That's why."

She was starting to get snippy. Apparently Hawthorne was a sore topic with her.

"Well, I'm not your brother. I'm pretty sure there is nothing about me that could even make you think of me that way, and you owe me a redo date since you sort of crashed our last one."

I could tell that she was trying to work out in her mind a way to tell me no, but before she could get the words out, the day's lecture began.

**KPOV**

I had to figure out a way to tell Peeta 'No'. It wasn't because of him. I was sure he was a wonderful guy to be with. But at 21, and after the incident with Gale, I couldn't bring myself to date again. I wasn't ready to be hurt again. There had been a huge blowup. Gale and I had dated a year and a half. We'd done what teenagers typically did. We were best friends so it was natural to be with the people in proximity. The problems started about six months in. Gale refused to cut back on his sports and I refused to cut back on my music. I didn't understand it, but for whatever reason, people really liked the sound of my voice. The lack of time spent with each other, plus other factors were starting to pile up. We both worked hard when it came to our extracurriculars. We got tired easily, and when we got tired we got moody, thus provoking more fights. The last straw was when Gale finally admitted to me that 'he thought he loved me, but he guessed he didn't'. We weren't friends for awhile after that, and then we got to college. Without all of the extra people around to offer advice (worthless or healthy), and with time spent not talking to each other, we started speaking. Even though our new found friendship was nice, I knew that I cared for Gale more than he cared for me. I wouldn't go as far as to say I still loved him, but he was special to me. He always was and he always would be.

I couldn't drag Peeta into this. It wasn't his responsibility to fix what Gale broke and I couldn't subject him to my craziness. Before I had the time to contemplate my response to Peeta any further, a note was passed across our shared desk in handwriting that was starting to become very familiar with me.

_I want this. I want you. You don't get to decide this for me. Just let go. Katniss, go out with me._

Even though he wasn't looking at me, I could see the sincerity radiating out of his eyes. I could also see his hand sliding another note across the desk.

_Don't say 'No'. It just might break my heart._

I sighed deeply. He was persistent. And sweet. And old school, which I liked. He hadn't whipped out some fancy gadgety phone to just text me with emojii's that would probably just end up killing the caliber of the conversation. He wrote me notes, something that was simple but took time and thought. I locked eyes with him and nodded my head. Something told me that if I were to just give him a chance, he'd show me why he deserved it.

**PPOV**

I knew she'd say yes eventually, but I thought that it would take a few more batches of cupcakes, some more notes, and maybe her number on the by soccer jersey. She nodded and I wasn't necessarily sure if she was saying yes or what until she slipped me a note back that said

_Don't make me regret it Mellark._

I turned to her, winked and went back to pretending to listen to the lecture. I had already taken Katniss to the bakery, and now, I needed to think if something just as special for our first date. I wouldn't count the first one. The argument we had at the end was not only unnecessary but it shed light on the fact that I really needed to figure out a way to tell Katniss everything that happened between Delly and I. There had been so many lies. While she wasn't the first girl to break my heart, she was the one who did me in the worst. I didn't want my past relationship with Delly to have any bearance on my relationship with Katniss. Everdeen was way too special for that. Still, I wondered if Katniss would compare this to something with Hawthorne. I believed her when she said that nothing was currently happening with them. Hawthorne was cold to her at best. However, a part of me always wondered if something had happened between them before I met Katniss. Maybe the longer we were together, the sooner I would find out.

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Alright people. That's it. Hopefully everyone enjoyed that. I'm trying to churn out chapters in honor of those that have been reviewing. Thanks so much for your continued support! As always, all reviews plant fire under my butt to make me write more. I'm doing my best to elongate each chapter. See ya next time,

-V


	5. Chapter 5

Ok Folks. Sorry for the delay in the update. For whatever reason, the servers were acting ridiculous but their fixed now. As promised and before 11:59pm, here's your next chapter of AKTKB. Thank you so much to everyone that has been reviewing! Without further delay, here it is!

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**KPOV**

_This is ridiculous. You have to give me something to work with here._

Peeta and I exchanged phone numbers the same class I agreed to go out with him. As soon as I said yes, I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was excited for this date, and for him, the possibilities were endless. We'd been texting throughout the week and I had been poking and prodding Peeta to tell me what we would be doing. He was surprisingly stubborn for such a giving person. I got no hints. When I asked if we were going somewhere fancy, he just simply told me to dress comfortably. When I asked if I needed to bring any money he simply ignored my text message. When I saw him the next class, he grabbed my hand and made me face him.

"Katniss, don't ever ask me that again. If I ask you out, I've got everything under control. There's no need for you to even bring your wallet if you don't want to."

The rest of the class was a bit tense, but for the life of me, I couldn't really understand why. I made a mental reminder to ask him about why money was such a sore spot with him later.

_Chill out Everdeen. I'm on my way. I hope you brought your appetite._

I immediately began to freak out. Eating wasn't a difficult thing, don't get me wrong, but I had a bit of an issue on my hands. If Peeta was one of those guys who wanted to date a girl who ate secretly, this wouldn't work. There was no way I could refrain from scarfing down all of my food. It wasn't because I didn't have manners, I just didn't know how to do anything daintily. Growing up, we weren't taught patience, so I usually inhaled everything on my plate. I wasn't gonna be able to make it through this date.

_Oh. And Everdeen?_

_What Mellark?_

_Stop stressing. B there in 10._

I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. With ten minutes left, I used the bathroom, checked my hair and makeup, and laced up my boots. I decided to give myself a once over in the mirror. I was wearing a black tank top, a light blue jean jacket and one of the few skirts that I owned. This one was made of a clingy material and was black and gray striped. I refuse to wear heels for this date because I didn't want to appear over eager, so I figured my combat boots would do. Another look in the mirror reminded me of the last time I wore this skirt. It was during the last date I had. I wore it the last time I heard Gale call me beautiful. Before I could regret taking this trip down memory lane more than I already did, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!"

Rue was entirely too happy to get up from her bedroom and open the door. I came out from the mirror in the bathroom and into the hallway. I had expected a good looking guy, but the sight of Peeta in boat shoes and cargo shorts and mens tank? I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the floor. Because it was still early, he had on mirrored aviators. I had a fleeting thought about this being a really douchbaggey outfit, but that was quickly replaced by the thought that this was probably the hottest I'd seen him since him and Gale's last soccer scrimmage.

**PPOV**

Katniss with makeup on. Katniss in a skirt. Katniss with free flowing, non braided hair. Looking at her, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I almost dropped the picnic basket I was carrying in my hands.

"Hey Rue. Hey Katniss. I know I'm early, but I was kind of eager, and I left my room a lot earlier than I intended, and I had the stuff for our date ready, so I hope me being here like this, early and all is ok... And I hope you like turkey and chocolate. Not together of course because that would be really really gross, but I-"

"Peeta, it's fine. Everything is fine. Let's get going."

She's right. We should get going. She's gorgeous, so right now, I'd just about do anything she told me to do. We get outside to my truck and I go to open the door for her. Tonight, she deserves the world. This is our first date and I want her to feel as special as possible. On the way over, I turn on some music; a mixed playlist my buddy Finnick made for me. Suddenly, some Maroon 5 hit comes on. I'm not too familiar with it, but Katniss seems to like, so much that she starts singing along with.

But things just get so crazy

Living life gets hard to do

It's Sunday morning

Rain is falling and I'm calling out to you

I turn my head and smile at her. She starts to blush.

"You sound really good Katniss. I didn't know you could sing."

"Most people don't. The only people who know are related to me. And there's Gale."

"I figured Hawthorne would know. The two of you are really close."

"Yeah. He started helping out a lot when my Dad died."

I glance over at her but decide not to say anything. I don't want her upset today.

"I have a really weird question to ask Katniss."

"What's up Peeta? You aren't gonna make me go on a bunch of errands with you before we go out are you?"

"Absolutely not. What kind of dates do you go on? No. I was just wondering if you liked cheese buns. It's this baked pastry like thing with cheese on top. If you don't like them, that's fine, but I baked you some and don't worry, I baked enough and you don't have to share, but I want you to feel free to eat as many as you want because I made them for you an-"

"Peeta. Deep breaths. Thanks for baking for me. I'm sure they'll be great."

I sighed deeply and went back to concentrating on driving. I couldn't let my nervous behavior mess up my date with Katniss. This date would determine whether or not she even wanted to see me again. I pulled up to a meadow that realistically wasn't that far from campus, but most people from the area knew nothing about.

"We're stopping here?"

Katniss was regarding me with a look of skepticism.

"I hope you don't mind. I wanted to try and do something special, but I kept coming up with this list of cliche things that would end in you deciding to kiss me, but to also decide to never go out on a date with me again. I figured cooking for you would win me a second date, but I figured that the scenery here was nice and that combined with the cooking might win me the second date from a willing participant."

I started playing with the hair behind my ear. I hoped my explanation sounded alright. I had a habit of putting my foot in my mouth, and Katniss' beauty combined with the date we were about to have was making me extra nervous.

"Ok. So let me get this straight. You cooked for me and baked me something, which by the way, I have no idea what it is, but I'm super sure I'll scarf them down, you have secured for us tonight one of the best looking spots to have a picnic in the first place, and you're worried I won't let you ask me out again? Set out the blanket Peeta. You had secured a second date when you mentioned these anxiously awaited cheese buns."

I smiled to myself. Katniss Everdeen was great. I just needed to prove to her that I deserved her greatness. As I spread the blanket, I attempted to describe for her all The stuff I brought. I started by pulling out the candles and lighting them while I arranged all the food.

"I've never really done this before, but like the majority of my day, I'm pretty sure I went unnecessarily overboard. There's two types of sandwiches you can choose from; I'll eat whatever you do. There's the traditional BLT, thick cut bacon, chipotle mayo, and because I saw you eat that artichoke once in the caf, yours would have artichoke on it. There's also turkey sandwiches with thick cut bacon, lettuce, heirloom tomato, spicy dijon mustard, avocado and a little barbecue sauce. There ar-"

"Hold on there tiger. Why the barbecue sauce?"

"It adds a touch of sweetness without being overwhelming."

"Oh. Gotcha."

"So yeah. Two types of chips: nacho cheese and those cheddar and sour cream ones I saw you eat that one time. There's some grapes and plums and strawberries. There's cheese buns, strawberry shortcake, and I asked Rue what else you like, and there's red velvet with whipped cream icing since she mentioned buttercream made you sick."

**KPOV**

I assumed Peeta was kidding until I watched him miraculously pull tons of food from his basket. I was pretty sure I was drooling at the amount of food being placed before me.

"Katniss? Earth to Everdeen? What did you want to eat?"

"Um. I'll take a turkey with cheddar sour cream chips. I'll eat a little of everything else after."

I reached out to grab a plate for my self until Peeta placed my hands back into my lap.

"I've got it. This date is about you and all the things I can do to bring a smile to that beautiful face of yours. I can fix you a plate. Just relax."

**I blushed. Not having to handle everything for everyone was good, but I really relished the fact that Peeta was a genuinely nice guy. Besides a second date, and maybe a kiss of thanks, he didn't really ask for anything in return. I was looking forward to the rest of this date. Peeta was definitely seeming like a keeper.**

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There you have it! As long as everyone continues to like this story and review it, I promise to keep up with the regular updates! Please feel free to let me know what you all think of this chapter.

Reviews are like sugar to coffee. Without them, I'd just be bitter.

Thanks,

-V


	6. Chapter 6

I'll skip the long intro this time around, everyone. Enjoy!

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**PPOV**

She liked my food. That much was certain. She liked the cheese buns best. Altogether, I'd made 24 and Katniss had already consumed five. I made a mental note to bring some along on each date that we had.

"Peeta this is really really good stuff. I'm sorry I keep eating all of it. I just can't help myself."

A girl with an appetite was a good thing. Katniss liking my food was a good thing.

"Eat as much as you want. I'm kind of relieved you're eating like this actually."

I could tell I had officially made her anxious. She blushed and put down cheese bun number 6.

"Sorry. I must look like a pig."

I just shook my head. Yes, she had lettuce under her bottom lip from the sandwich she had earlier but I'd be damned if she wasn't ridiculously adorable. I was getting ready to take a huge risk here. I sort of caressed Katniss' face with my hand, letting her know what was getting ready to happen. I stared in her eyes and I saw fear briefly flicker across her features. I gave her a reassuring smile, and then, I went for it. I went for something low key at first. Katniss didn't strike me as the type who went straight for frenching. Once I could feel the tension in her face release, I decided that it was time to kick things up a notch. She looked like the type of girl who could throw a pretty mean right hook, so I figured that if I was going to be slapped, I might as well go for the gold. I sort of flicked my tongue out to lightly touch her bottom lip, and it seemed as if she was into it. Katniss had yet to slap me so I figured things were going good.

I wasn't ready for what happened next. Katniss' hands flew up to either side of my face, and while I was prepared for the pain that would surely follow, I was pleasantly surprised to know that she was taking the reigns of the kiss. The tent in my pants was upset. I was now full on making out with Katniss Everdeen and she was really into it. She was using her tongue on my mouth in ways that were pleasing and frustrating all at the same time. The problem wasn't the fact that what was happening was bad. I was starting to feel as if it wasn't enough. Things really started to become a problem when she suddenly laid on her back, pulled me down with her between her legs and started to add grinding to the kiss. Usually, this was a good thing, but this wasn't the usual situation. This was me, on a date with Katniss Everdeen, and I was recognizing that this needed to stop. I practically heard my dick scream at me to let this keep going, but my heart and my head were winning on this one. I had to stop before I was kissing her other set of lips, cementing her into my memory forever.

"Katniss, I think we should stop."

"Oh."

**KPOV**

I knew he didn't want me. He was too nice of a guy, too good of a person to wanna be with me of all people. I was almost sure the hurt I was starting to feel could be seen on my face.

"Katniss whatever you're assuming, you shouldn't. I wanted to stop probably for a really cliche reason, but I don't want this to be like it was with the other girls. I... Shit. I feel ridiculous, but I... You're special to me Katniss. I don't want this to be something short and sex-filled. I want us to try and make this work for as long as possible, and I don't want you to feel pressured, or feel as if I'm expecting something, because I'm not. I don't know. You're not like other girls. I won't let this feel like it's felt with other girls."

He was amazing. He was phenomenal. I didn't really know what to say, so I picked up a cheese bun, broke off a piece of it and shoved it into his mouth. He looked really confused, but I quickly pushed him back down and began to kiss him. Fortunately, he hadn't even started chewing yet (the mush would have been nasty) and I began to take the cheese bun out of his mouth with tongue. I quickly chewed, swallowed and pecked his lips.

"Then let's do it Mellark. Let's try and take this slow. However, I will tell you. If you break my heart, I'll shoot you with an arrow."

I watched him shake his head and chuckle nervously. I let him sit up and take a bite of his sandwich. Only he could make it sexy to chew and smile and look nervous all at the same time.

"I'm glad you wanna do this Katniss. I have one last thing for you."

"I didn't think Peeta had much else, so I almost choked on the strawberry I was chewing when I saw him pull back the top to the container he was holding.

"The other day, we were in the caf and I saw you in line. I don't know if I heard you correctly, but I thought you said that Tiramisu was your favorite, and I made it for you so here you go."

The last part of his phrasing was a little awkward, but it didn't matter because I had died and gone to heaven. He was right. Tiramisu was my favorite and I was prepared to devour the entire dish. Wordlessly, I reached my hand into the picnic basket and brought out the little plastic knife and spatula. I cut a sizeable square out and put it on a plate.

"Katniss, I could've gotten it for you."

"You've got me mistaken. This piece is for you."

I watched as he regarded me with curiosity. I set the plate and a fork in front of him and proceeded to eat the remaining tiramisu out the container with my own fork. I watched and listened as he laughed heartily and kissed me on the cheek before delving into his own piece. This dating thing wasn't seeming so bad. I figured that if I could do this with Peeta, eat like I'd never had a meal before, there wasn't too much else I would mind trusting him with.

"By the way, I never said thank you."

"Thank you for what Katniss?"

"For being you. I haven't been on a date like this in a long time. I forgot what it felt like for someone to think I was special."

He blushed. The boy was entirely too adorable.

**PPOV**

Something about Katniss Everdeen had me tripping over myself and inserting my foot into my mouth, repeatedly. I didn't mind it though. As I watched her devour the remaining tiramisu, I felt myself falling for her.

"Hey Katniss?"

"If you tell me that we can no longer date because of the amount of food I consume, I'm giving you an arrow through the eye."

"Don't be ridiculous. It isn't anything like that. I just... I have one more thing for you and then I can drive you back to your apartment."

I hoped I wasn't laying things on too thick. That's what had happened with the girl before Delly.

"If it's more food, I have to stop you before you pull it out of the basket."

"No. It's something else. Just do me a favor and let me go get it from my truck."

I hoped she wouldn't be too angry with me. One day, in the class that we shared, I had taken the time to sketch her and what I was going to give her was the finished product in water color form.

When I arrived back to our picnic site from the truck, I held the painting out in front of me and hoped Katniss wouldn't be upset. She didn't seem like the type of woman who liked to be fawned over, but I couldn't resist capturing her image. I needed her to know that I thought she was truly exquisite.

"I know the artistic quality probably isn't even that good but-"

She attacked my lips. I was hoping beyond hope that she was gonna like it, and to know that she did made me smile against her lips.

"Let's get out of here before we end up fooling around more. I want our first time to be special and while this spot is nice, it can't be here."

Katniss had already decided that we were going to have sex. I was going to have sex with Katniss Everdeen. This wasn't just a first date to me. this was like Christmas in July, or good barbecue when there's snow on the ground. I was on cloud nine. I silently began to pack everything up, but nothing could stop my happiness. I was floating. I was in absolute heaven and there was nothing that could be done by an individual on the entire planet to stop this joy.

"Well, well, well Catnip. I would've never pegged bread boy as your type, especially after you being with me. but I guess things change."

**"****What do you want Gale?"**

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**I know everyone is going to hate me, but I had to throw in a last minute cliff hanger. I appreciate the reviews I've already received and I look forward to the ones to come. I want to thank everyone for their continued support and the fire everyone keeps lighting under my ass so that I update frequently. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. As it has been suggested in the reviews, I can promise that each chapter will be longer than the last starting from this moment forward.**

**Your reviews are like air freshener. Without them, this fic would stink.**

**Thanks,**

**-V**


	7. Chapter 7

I want to take the time to thank everyone for all of the reviews they posted for the last chapter. I would apologize for the cliffhanger, but I enjoyed your reactions. Without further ado:

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**PPOV**

_Stop apologizing Everdeen. It is what it is._

Katniss and I were officially trying this girlfriend and boyfriend thing, but she was still apologizing for the Gale interruption from a week ago.

_I just... I have to explain that situation to you. I... Come by the apartment tonight?_

I sighed inwardly before responding. I wasn't ready for this conversation. I wasn't ready for her to explain to me that at some point, she was Hawthorne's. I knew it made no sense, but a part of me was angry that Katniss had been with another guy. What made me even angrier was that the guy was Hawthorne. Did I mention that he was the bane of my existence.

_Yea. I'll bring the cheese buns._

_Don't. I'll cook._

I had to laugh at that one. Katniss had admitted that she wasn't that great with a kitchen. Her attempting to cook must mean she had a bomb to drop on me.

_Only if you promise to let Rue help you._

I smiled at my phone and put it away to change into my practice jersey. There were several reasons I decided to play soccer, and everytime I donned any of my jersey's, I was reminded of why. I sat down on one of the locker room benches and began to lace up my soccer cleats. I needed to set aside my thoughts about Katniss and get my head in the game. The biggest rivalry game of the season was coming up and coach was either going to make me play center midfielder or striker. It's not that I minded playing either position, but I preferred striker and Gale Hawthorne was the same way. In order for coach to pick me for the spot I wanted, I had to prove that I was better than he was. I started wishing that Katniss was here, and as I came out of the locker room, I wished that I could take my previous wish back. I walked out of the locker and became immediately angry. I saw Katniss talking to Hawthorne and while I couldn't hear what was being said, I watched as she threw her head back and laughed. It took real work for me to keep from walking over there and saying something. I walked out onto the soccer field and began my warmups. I didn't want to look like the jealous boyfriend so soon into our relationship, but Gale Hawthorne was pushing all of my buttons. In my mind, him and all were complete opposites. He was a tool, I was genuinely nice guy. He couldn't have been more stupid if he let a woman like Katniss slip through his fingers, and I was definitely better at soccer than he was.

"What's the matter Mellark? Salty because I was chatting up your girl?"

I tried my best not to look at him. I knew that Katniss must have been somewhere close. He never bothered to discuss her in front of me unless he wanted her to hear.

"So let me ask you something Mellark. You tapped that yet? Catnip's got the tightest sna-"

I punched him. I couldn't help it. Katniss didn't deserve to be talked about like that, Even if he had screwed her before he had no business talking about it now and especially not in front of me. I hit him and the crunch I heard when I made contact with his nose was totally worth whatever was getting ready to happen to me next. I heard Katniss scream. I listened and could hear the surprise there. Hawthorne must have been surprised too. He fell on the field and didn't even get up to hit me back. My hand was in a little pain, but not enough for me to regret hitting him. I heard the whistle located around my coach's neck go off and something about a suspension from the upcoming game. It didn't matter. I hurried off the field and practically ran to the locker room. The punch had temporarily relieved my anger, but i couldn't just get over the fact that Katniss had shared something with him that she hadn't shared with me. Yes. I knew it had only been a week since we had started dating, but he didn't deserve her or anything she had to give. Hawthorne was an asshole. I couldn't even figure out why she was even still friends with him.

"I brought some ice for your hand. I figured you wouldn't want your knuckles to bruise too badly."

I couldn't even look at her right now. Don't mistake me. I wasn't blaming this on her, but I didn't want to take any of my anger out on her.

"Peeta. Look at me."

"Katniss. This is the boys locker room. You aren't even supposed to be back here right now."

"Peeta. Don't give me that. We're going to talk about this. All of this. Right now."

I sighed. My shirt was off, but I didn't bother to put on another one. I just sat down on the nearest bench and sighed deeply. She was stubborn, so if she decided that she wanted to talk now, there wouldn't be anything I could do to change her mind.

"I slept with Gale. We were together and I thought we were in love but I found out that the love was one-sided way too late. Whatever he said to you to get you riled up, don't listen to him. I'm not with him. I'm with you, now put this damn ice on your knuckles Mellark."

Unbelievable. Only Katniss could manage to end that speech with a direct order. She'd succeeded in making my anger subside, but I couldn't get Hawthorne's voice out of my head.

"Besides. No one has ever fought for me like that. Not even Gale."

I was expecting a quick hug and Katniss shoving the ice pack on my hand. What I wasn't expecting was her shoving the ice pack on my hand and kissing the life out of me, but I had to admit I wasn't going to complain. Once we broke apart, Katniss started to speak again.

"I'm sort of glad you hit him. I was going to invite you over to the house tonight to talk about it here, but it's in the open now. I'm happy for that."

"Wait a minute. You were going to expose me to your less than stellar cooking and reveal that you had sex with Hawthorne? Where's your heart Everdeen?"

I laughed lightly to show her that I was kidding and then got up to walk back over to my locker. I reached out for my shirt but Katniss stopped me.

"Leave it off for awhile. I want to see what I've been missing."

"You do realize that I'm your boyfriend now. That means that at your request, I can take my shirt off for you? In fact, I can take anything off that you want."

I watched her blush.

"So here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna put my shirt back on and then we're gonna go back to your place. I'm done talking about Hawthorne for the night. Instead, you're still gonna cook and while we eat, we're gonna watch some movies. Hell, if it'll get you to cook better, I may even take of my shirt."

I winked at her, put my shirt back on, and scooped up my things to go to my truck.

"Oh, and Everdeen. Follow me. I know you took the student shuttle over here. There's no way you're taking it back."

I didn't even look back to see her reaction. I just unlocked the car, put my things in the back seat and waited on the passenger side so I could open up her door.

"It seems like you've got everything figured out today Mellark.''

I just smiled and continued to drive. It was true that Katniss didn't exactly live close to the soccer field, but I didn't really mind the drive. I just wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. My brain registered the fact that Katniss was singing but I wasn't really paying too much attention to what she was singing. I was merely listening to the sound of her voice. We got through about four or five songs on the radio before I registered the fact that she was talking to me again.

"So were you and eagle scout Peeta?"

I glanced over at her and raised my eyebrow in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I'm just asking because you seem really really prepared for the events of the day."

*Queue my typical nervous laughter here*

"You're an interesting guy Mellark. So interesting, that I never truly know what will and what won't rattle you. Yes, I know that you have a little bit of an issue with my past with Gale, but I don't see much else that angers you when it comes to me. If I told you I had a really hairy back, what would you say?"

"I would offer to buy you a razor and shaving cream to help with that little problem."

"And what would you say if I said that I have super abnormally large feet?"

I would recommend that you get your shoes from the next town over, because the largest size they carry here is an eleven in womens sizes."

"And if I said that I used to be a blond?"

"I would say that I prefer you as a brunette but that I'm sure you would be beautiful either way. What's with all the questions Everdeen?"

"Easy Mellark. One last question."

"Ok. Shoot."

**"****What would happen if I told you that I wasn't wearing any panties?"**

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Well, there you have it folks! As always, I appreciate all of your reviews. They truly do encourage me to regularly post.

Your reviews are like diamonds. Without them, this fic would be dull.

Until next time,

-V


	8. Chapter 8

Here's the newest chapter update! Enjoy!

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**PPOV**

There was no way I had heard her correctly. We'd only been together for a week. A girl telling you after a week of being in a relationship that they were not wearing any panties was not a thing. Girls never did that. Then, I remembered that I was dating Katniss Everdeen and that nothing was typical when it came to her.  
"Hmmm Peeta? What would you say?"

"I would say that I'm sure that was a very well calculated decision on your part and that however I reacted to this statement would not be my fault."

There. That should be a sufficient response, or so I thought. I heard Katniss' musical laughter and immediately glanced over at her.

"Peeta, I like you, but sometimes I wonder where your optimism ends."

Silence. That's all I had for her on this one.

"I take it that you would like for me to clarify?"

I just nodded my head in response.

"You're the perfect gentlemen. You'll kiss me first, but you won't deepen it unless I show you wholeheartedly that it's what I want too. You'll hold my hand in public, pull out my chair, open my door, but you're not that big a fan of PDA."

"You're right. But what you failed to realize is that PDA stands for public displays of affection. We won't be in public when we get to your apartment. When we get to your apartment, it'll just be me and you and a large number of flat surfaces. Stop writing checks your ass can't cash."

I liked Katniss and I wasn't ashamed to admit that even this early, she had a power over me. However, I drew the line when it came to my physical desires for her. She was beautiful and sexy. I would be a fool to fail and notice that; an even bigger idiot to pretend I wouldn't do anything about it.

"I can never figure you Mellark."

"Good. Let's keep things that way. I would hate to bore you with mundane predictability."

I glanced over at her and smiled. As usual, my timing was impeccable. We were pulling into the parking lot outside of Katniss' apartment. As I usually do, I went over to the passenger side and opened her door, following her upstairs to her apartment. When we got inside, I could smell the familiar smell of Mexican food.

"Katniss, you didn't leave the food to cook while you were at the soccer field did you?"

"No she didn't Peeta. I've got everything under control. Don't worry. As soon as I'm done cooking, I've got a date of my own to go to."

I nodded my head and said a quiet 'thank you' before turning back to Katniss.

"Do you mind if I set my stuff down in your room?"

"Yeah. No problem. It's the one at the very end of the hall."

I nodded to let her know I'd heard and continued to walk to her room. When I got there, almost everything was as I expected it to be. There was a was a queen sized bed sitting in the center of the room, one of the only things in the room that screamed feminine. Her sheets and comforter were black and gray and the bed itself looked comfortable but practical, almost as if she had had this particular bedset for awhile. Decoration didn't appear to be her thing. There on her wall, was the watercolor I had given to her the week before. It was hung directly across from the bed, positioned so that she could see it when she laid in bed I supposed. Her dresser sat next to her closet and matched the bed frame as did the closet door. I would have been overwhelmed by the amount of gray and black had it not been for the white walls. I set my things down on the side of the bed but immediately froze when I saw the picture frame on the bedside table. The picture itself was harmless in nature. I knew that. I realized and processed that. However, it seemed as if I couldn't escape Gale Hawthorne these days. In the frame were the figures of Katniss and Gale. They were younger, probably in their first or second year of high school. Gale sat in the grass attempting to read a book, while Katniss was bent over in front of him doing her best to use her mahogany colored hair to cover the text he was reading. The picture was innocent. My anger was not.

"Rue put the food in the oven to keep it warm. I didn't know if you wan-. Peeta, what are tou doing?"

"Why is this picture here?"

"I don't understand what you're asking me."

"This is your room, correct?"

"Yes."

She wasn't understanding me.

"I want this picture gone Katniss."

"No."

"I mean it."

"I said 'No'."

I crossed the room to her in four long strides. I needed her to understand the severity of this situation. I wanted her relationship with Gale to be so scarce I didn't have to see his face or hear his name. Once I reached her, I stared into Katniss' beautiful gray eyes, but in that moment I wasn't ruled by my appreciation for her beautiful. I was fueled by raw lust; the most base of desire: possession.

"I need to get this off my chest Katniss. You aren't dating Hawthorne. You're dating me. I'm the only man that gets to hold, gets to kiss, gets to touch the most intimate parts of you. If you think something to the contrary, tell me now and I'll walk away. If you agree with me nod your head."

If she didn't nod, I was going to go home, curl up in bed with my oldest and favorite soccer ball and cry like a girl. I was obviously a girl if I couldn't hang onto Katniss Everdeen for longer than week. Fortunately for me, I realized my old soccer ball could stay in the storage bin underneath my bed. I saw Katniss sigh but nod all the same. I couldn't contain myself anymore. I captured Katniss' lips with all the passion behind it that I could muster. I needed to know that she was mine and I was hers. There was nothing that could be said or done that would make me want to share her. She was too special, too beautiful. Truth be told, I had really only planned the kiss. At twenty years old, I was no stranger to my hormones being in control. By now I should have accounted for the fact that I was going to want whatever Katniss and I did to continue. Something was wrong with the way my brain was functioning. I wasn't thinking about why we should stop and take things slow and I definitely wasn't thinking about removing myself from her embrace.

Katniss was currently my air supply. I didn't plan on ceasing to breathe anytime soon. The more we kissed, the more out of control I felt. I was so out of control that I didn't realize that were now laying on Katniss' bed, me between her legs as I alternated peppering her legs and neck with kisses and whispering adulations of her beauty. Before I could register what was happening, Katniss had placed my hand at the juncture between her thighs. I realized that what she'd said to me earlier was true. She was definitely not wearing any panties and the liquid I felt pooling in between her thighs was definitely evident of that. It was almost as if Katniss had been spending time in my head when I heard her speak again.

"Don't you dare stop Mellark. I want this. I want you."

I figured I didn't need more of an invitation that that. I took my thumb and began to circle her clit with it. By the time I finally let Katniss have her orgasm, I wanted her needy and begging. I began to kiss her to smother her moans. I didn't have the presence of mind to remember whether or not Rue was still in the apartment. Regardless, Katniss was a screamer. I had decided making her remain quiet would make her orgasm better. I withdrew my hands from her entirely.

"Katniss, let's make a deal. If you're quiet, or as quiet as you can be, I promise you'll be happy with the way the rest of the night goes. Keep moaning loud enough to wake up the entire apartment complex, I go home. Pick one right now."

I could see her battling herself.

"Right now, pick either option one or option two."

I stared into her eyes and waited on her to speak.

"One." A quiet whisper.

"I'm sure I couldn't quite hear you."

"One. I said option one."

**I went back to kissing her, caressing the insides and outsides of her thighs, touching her everywhere but where she wanted to be touched. It was driving her crazy and I could tell she was fighting herself to stay quiet. I didn't think I was going to hear her make a sound until I heard her whisper my name.**

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Great chapter right? Let me know what you guys think! I thrive on your feedback!

Your reviews are like candy to a child. Without them, this story would be sad.

Thanks for reading,

-V


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the wait! Here a go ;)

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**PPOV**

I was typically a man of my word. One sound from Katniss should have sent me on my way. I'd made it clear that I wanted her quiet. But there was something about the way she said my name that made me want to hear it again. I couldn't stop myself from what I was about to do next. I gradually kissed my way down her stomach and ended my trail at the insides of her thighs. My face hovered between her warmth. I needed to make sure that Katniss was completely fine with what was about to happen. As I opened my mouth to ask her if she was good with me continuing, she arched her back and mashed her sweetness into my face. I stuck my tongue out, teasing her clit. Katniss tasted like what I always imagined she would taste like; all sweetness and goodness and depth. I would forever remember this; Katniss mashing herself into my face; her sweetness and the wonderful desperate sounds she made as she removed my hair from my head. I loved this. I felt the power I held in this moment. She wasn't being quiet and as I said, I was a man of my word. Power would dictate that at any moment I decided, I could get up and leave, leaving Katniss just as sexually frustrated before we started. However, there was no benefit in that for me. I felt the urge, no the need to finish what I started here.

I wanted to please Katniss. I wanted her to feel what I was doing to her down to her very toes. I gave Katniss one last long lick before delving my tongue into her center, then shifting my focus back to her clit. I decided that in this moment in time, I needed to go for the gold. Bringing my head up briefly I started to speak to her.

"Katniss, if you want to cum, I need you to do something for me."

A moan came from her in response.

"I need you to lift up your shirt, and tweak your nipples. Touch yourself there for me baby Katniss."

I could feel the hesitation and tension build up in her body.

"It's just you and me baby. You can do it baby. Show me how bad you wanna cum."

I paused and went to catch her eye. Whatever it was that was causing her to hold back, I needed her to let it go. I wanted her to let her thoughts and inhibitions disappear. I caught the smallest nod from her and watched as she shimmied her top up and began to play with her nipples. How I had managed to overlook the fact that she was wearing a bra was beyond me and I made a small mental note to make sure I asked about that later. I went back to the task at hand, worshipping her clit with my tongue and finally, once I could feel that Katniss felt less self-conscious, I inserted one finger into her center. I could tell that the added feeling was a surprise to her but that it was welcome. The sound that escaped her mouth was like pure gold and the way her muscles clenched around my finger was the perfect reassurance that she could handle another one. She was more ready for the second finger but couldn't stop the moan that escaped her mouth. She was caught up now. When I took a long, slightly pressurized suck on her clit, she lost it. I continued to suck and move my fingers in and out of her. I could feel how tight she was. Whenever I got to be inside of her, I was going to seriously lose my shit. I went back to focusing on her. I could feel her body starting to shake and spasm. Katniss was about to lose it. I thrust my fingers into her one more time and curled my tongue around her clit. I was finally rewarded with my name one last time in the loudest, happiest, scream I had ever heard tumble from her lips.

"Peeta! Fuck! PEETA!"

I hadn't stimulated her G-Spot so I wasn't surprised when she hadn't squirted anywhere. She was beautiful when she orgasmed. As much as I didn't want to disturb the afterglow, I needed to know where the bathroom was.

"Katniss. Where's the bathroom honey."

I heard her whisper,"Next door."

I got up and went to the bathroom, pausing to look in the hall closet for a washcloth. As I entered the bathroom, I smiled to myself. I ended up washing my face and rinsing my mouth. I didn't have an issue with smelling or tasting of Katniss, but if she was timid to touch herself in front of me, she might not of been immediately ready to be reminded of what we just did. I wished I'd seen an extra toothbrush but I did what I could and attempted to keep the major grin I was sporting under wraps. When I got back into the room. Katniss was still laying there on her back, but this time, she was completely naked. I had to mentally prepare myself to lay next to her. No matter what, we were NOT having sex.

I want to plan our first time out to be special; something cliche with candles and rose petals and soft music. Because of all of the misfortunes I'd had with other girls, I was still a virgin, and even though it wouldn't be Katniss' first time, it would be her first time with me. A woman losing her virginity was supposed to be a memorable, wonderfully special event. I wanted to give Katniss that because she deserved it.

"Take your clothes off Peeta. We're both adults. You just had your mouth all in my business. If we can't lay naked together, neither of us must have very good self control."

Somehow, in my head, everything that Katniss was saying made perfect sense to me. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous to get naked in front of Katniss. She'd seen me pretty close to it thanks to some really ridiculous stunts because of my fraternity. I stripped down and got into bed with her, slipping my arm around he and coaxing her head to rest on my chest.

"Peeta, that was amazing. I want you to know that. It meant a lot to me. You didn't have to do that."

I just nodded and kissed the top of her head. Even though she hadn't showered since earlier that morning, I could still smell her shampoo. I loved the way she smelled. I loved the way she tasted.

"It's fine. I needed to show you that you were mine. Hopefully, there's no question now."

I felt her nod against me and kiss my chest. She didn't speak again and before I knew it, I could hear her gently snoring against me. I closed my eyes and attempted to sleep myself, but I couldn't manage to get thoughts of various things concerning Katniss out of my head. I thought about the sounds she made when she orgasmed, or the way her eyebrows would scrunch together when she was deep in thought. I thought about the way she always stopped to stretch after sitting any time over ten minutes. I thought of the way she always had one tendril of hair on the right side of her face that always managed to escape her braid, no matter how flawless the braid itself seemed. The woman sleeping on my chest was fascinating to me and I was spending my time thinking of all the things that captured my attention about her when I heard her speak.

"Peeta, take a nap. Whatever it is you're concentrating so hard on can wait till morning."

I smiled at the sound of her voice and how wrong she was. Thinking about her was something that I didn't want to put off until later and I didn't think I could even if I tried.

"Get some rest Everdeen. I'll be here when you wake up, but in the meantime, I'm gonna check on the status of the food and fix some plates. Come to the kitchen when you're ready."

Before I paused to put my clothes on, I gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and another on the forehead before I finished getting dressed and headed to the kitchen. Once I got there, I found that Rue had been true to her word and left the food in the warmer, but the spread was disappointing to me. I was a human garbage disposal and I liked my option. There was ground beef for tacos, hard shells, cheese, salsa and lettuce. I needed more. I set to work, poking around cabinets for the ingredients for handmade flour tortillas. I chopped some onion and tomato while I was at it and found some frozen chicken. I got that out, marinated it, seasoned it and decided that it was perfect for quesadillas. I hoped that all of the racket I was making in the kitchen didn't draw Katniss in here. There was so much i liked about that girl. Hell. There was a bunch of stuff that I loved about that girl. She was kind and smart and intelligent. I couldn't picture what I had been doing with my life before her and I started going out. I felt kind of weird and pathetic. This was my style. I tended to fall in love too quickly and something was telling me that I was slowly but surely falling in love with Katniss. In my eyes, except for when it came to Gale Hawthorne, there was nothing she could do that would be less than perfect.

**I couldn't be in love with her already, could I?**

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**Ok Everyone! I got a request for a lemon in the review section. I hope I'll still be one of your favorite authors after reading. Sorry for the delay. Between the ending of the holiday season and my school break coming to a close, things have been hectic. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the chapter and enjoys it so much that they want to leave me lots and lots of reviews.**

**Reviews are like air to me.**

**Don't wanna leave me without oxygen do ya ;)**

**-V **


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